ELTHAM BANK ROBBERY CASE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2567, 15 September 1915, Page 4

ELTHAM BANK ROBBERY CASE

ACCUSED PLEAD GUILTY. . By Telegraph.—Press Association. Eltham, September 14. In the Magistrate's Court this morning 'William Keith and Sam White were charged that on or (1) about June 1 they did attempt to break and enter into the Bank of New South Wales with intent to commit a crime therein; (2) did break and enter into the premises of Charles Anderson Wilkinson, and did commit a theft. The evidence showed that a tunnel was constructed from a vacant section underneath a billiard room, thence under the bank to the strong-room. The tunnel was approximately 33ft. 6in. long, the teols used were short-handled shovel, fork, adze, tomahawk, and spade. The accused wanted a third party to da the watching, whilst the_ burglary was being committed, and Keith, while half-drunK, approached ,on 6 George M'Glashan, coachbuilder, of Eltham. M'Glashan at first apparently fell in with the plans, but eventually informed a fourth party. The fourth partj-, wKose name was not given in Court, in turn informed the bauk maanger, 'R illiam Denham Boss, who laid an information with the police. It was the intention of accused to drill through, the concrete work at the base of the strongroom, and, when the tunnel was discovered the concrete showed signs of being bored with a drill or cold chiseL

Interesting evidence was given by, Senior-Sergeant Dinnie, of Wellington, who identified the finger-prints with those on the bottle found in the under* ground workings. ' ; At the conclusion of the evidence, ao> cused pleaded guilty, and were commit ted for sentence.